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Double Chocolate S’mores Camp Cake

By Heather Baird
Created January 10, 2017
Bring the great outdoors to your next birthday celebration! Perfect for a camping or scouting enthusiast, this cake is packed with s’mores flavor.
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To me, the sweetest thing about camping is making s’mores around the campfire. It’s one of those nostalgic treats that can transport you to a different time and place long after the sleeping bags and tents have been packed away, bringing back fond memories of family togetherness and good times. I love incorporating the flavors of s’mores in all kinds of desserts, especially cake

This cake is camp-themed inside and out! It’s a perfect birthday treat for an outdoors enthusiast with its mini graham cracker “tent” and jellybean “campfire.” And with a marshmallow and graham filling, it will soothe even the fiercest cravings for s’mores. Instead of plain graham crackers, I used a chocolate variety which can be found at most grocery stores right next to the original version. This gives the cake extra richness and is a nice, crunchy-sweet compliment to the tender layers of cake. 

To get started, you’ll need to bake your chocolate cake according to the directions on the box. When the layers are cool, you can begin assembling the cake. I used a wooden cake stand to add to the camp theme, but any 9-inch serving platter or cake board will do.

Coat the first layer of cake with the marshmallow filling and graham crackers. Break the crackers into pieces so they fit inside the circumference of the cake.

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Use the frosting mixed with cocoa powder to cover the top of the cake. Spread it on with an offset spatula.

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Coat the sides of the cake with the green tinted frosting. Don’t worry about making this coat perfect as most of the icing will be covered with graham crackers.

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Place twelve graham cracker halves around the bottom edge of the cake. Press them into the frosting firmly to secure.

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Next, sprinkle green decorating sugar around the top edge of the cake until it is coated. You’ll want to leave a visible clearing of chocolate frosting on top of the cake—this will become the “campsite!”

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Use the leftover green frosting to cover three ice cream cones with pointed ends. Place the remaining green sugar in a shallow dish and coat the cones in the sugar.

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Allow the cones to stand for several minutes to set before transferring them to the top of the cake.

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Place the cones on top of the cake. Press them into the frosting with an index finger at the top points of the cones so the sugar coating doesn’t smudge.

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Break a graham cracker half in two at the perforation. Prop the pieces against each other to create a “tent.”

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Slice a red gum drop in half, then trim the edges of one half with a sharp knife to create a triangle. Skewer the gumdrop piece onto a long toothpick.

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Press the toothpick into the cake at the front center of the graham cracker tent.

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Slice a red, orange and yellow jellybean into quarters lengthwise.

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Place the jellybean pieces upright into the cake a few inches away from the graham cracker tent.

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Crumble a small piece of graham cracker and sprinkle it over the jellybean pieces, giving the appearance of ash.

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Break a pretzel stick in two even pieces and place them, crossed, in front of the jellybean pieces.

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Last but not least, place a fun-size milk chocolate bar in front of the tent for the sleeping bag (or cot) and flatten a mini marshmallow between your thumb and forefinger for the pillow. Place it at the end closest to the graham cracker tent.

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Ingredients

    • 1box Betty Crocker™ Delights Super Moist™ Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
    • Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
    • 2tubs (12 oz) Betty Crocker™ Whipped Vanilla Frosting
    • 1/2cup marshmallow creme
    • 10rectangular chocolate graham crackers
    • 1 1/2teaspoons unsweetened baking cocoa
    • Green food color
    • 1bottle (2.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ green apple decorating sugar
    • 3sugar-style ice cream cones with pointed ends
    • 1red gum drop
    • 1long toothpick
    • 1red jelly bean
    • 1yellow jelly bean
    • 1orange jelly bean
    • 1pretzel stick
    • 1bar (snack-size; 0.45 oz) milk chocolate bar
    • 1miniature marshmallow

Directions

  • 1Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
  • 2Make cake batter using cake mix, water, oil and eggs as directed on box. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Remove cakes from pans to cooling racks; cool completely, about 45 minutes.
  • 3Measure 1 cup frosting from 1 container into medium bowl. Stir in marshmallow creme. Place 1 cake layer on cake stand, cake plate or serving platter. Coat top of cake with half of the frosting mixture. Break 3 graham crackers into pieces; place on top of frosting. Cover graham crackers with remaining frosting mixture. Top with second cake layer. To remaining frosting in first container, stir in baking cocoa until well blended. Spread cocoa frosting over top of cake.
  • 4Into large bowl, spoon frosting from second container. Add green food color a little at a time, stirring well until desired green color is achieved. Frost sides of cake with half of the green frosting. Break 6 of the remaining graham crackers in half to make 12 pieces. Line sides of cake with upright graham cracker halves; press into frosting to adhere. Use one-third of the bottle of green sugar to sprinkle around top edge of cake. Refrigerate cake 1 hour to firm up frosting.
  • 5Pour remaining green sugar into shallow dish. To make trees, frost each ice cream cone with some of the remaining green frosting; roll in green sugar. Place cones towards back of cake; press cones into frosting with fingertip on pointed ends.
  • 6To make tent, break remaining graham cracker in half at perforation; place 2 to 3 inches apart on top of cake, allowing cracker halves to prop against each other.
  • 7To make flag, cut red gum drop in half; trim away sides of 1 half to make a triangle. Skewer triangle flag onto toothpick; press into cake at front of tent.
  • 8To make campfire, cut each jelly bean lengthwise into quarters. Press pieces upright into cake to create flames. Crumble a bit of graham cracker; sprinkle over flames to resemble ashes. Break pretzel stick evenly in half; place halves crossed in front of flames.
  • 9For cot, place chocolate bar on cake in front of tent. To make pillow, flatten marshmallow between thumb and forefinger; place at end of chocolate bar closest to tent.
  • 10Serve cake at room temperature.

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